PSC/IR 101 Introduction to Comparative Politics Spring 2016
Professor: Bing Powell (Email: ) MWF 10:25-11:15 GRGN 108
Objective. This course is an introduction to the study of political science and comparative politics. We focus on how citizens may be able to control public policies in different modern democracies. We begin by briefly applying some of these ideas to the American political system. We then turn explicitly to the politics of contemporary Britain, Russia and Germany. We shall comparing these systems with each other, the US and occasionally with other countries.
Organization. The course meets three times a week. Mondays and Wednesdays will be devoted primarily to lectures and Fridays usually to discussion--of both lectures and reading. You will be assigned to a specific discussion section; all discussion sections meet on Friday at the regular class time. The syllabus indicates the main themes of the two lectures and required readings for that week. A midterm examination on February 24 covers lectures and required reading to that point, including all of Britain and Northern Ireland. In the period after the midterm we shall turn to Russia and Germany. There is an optional quiz after the six lectures on each of these countries. The final examination covers all lectures and required reading; it is scheduled by the Registrar on May 4 at 12:30. This date cannot be changed. Do not arrange to leave for summer vacation before taking the examination on this date.
Grades. Grades will be based on the midterm examination (20%), two brief optional quizzes (10 % each,) class discussion (10%,) and the final examination (50%). Skipping a quiz increases the midterm and final weights by 5% each. Students interested in writing an optional paper (for 25% of final course grade), about ten pages long, applying the concept of citizen control/influence through elections to another country, should talk with the instructor. Only papers on this topic are acceptable. It is acceptable to use other countries in the text. Papers due Wednesday, April 27.
ACADEMIC HONESTY: All assignments and activities associated with this course must be performed in accordance with the University of Rochester's Academic Honesty Policy. More information is available at:www.rochester.edu/college/honesty Be prepared to sign the Honor pledge on all exams and papers.
Assigned Readings: The assigned readings are important part of the course and will be discussed in the Friday section meetings and covered in the exams.
Purchase: Most of the required readings in the course are from G. Bingham Powell, Jr., Russell Dalton, and Kaare Strom Comparative Politics Today: A World View, 11th ed., 2015, Ch. 1-8, 10, 12, 19 (CPT in the syllabus.) The readings each week are short, but dense. The country chapters will repay careful rereading; the syllabus is designed to allow for this rereading.
Reserve: Some articles and book chapters are linked to the syllabus. Powell “Elections” is Chapter 1 from Elections as Instruments of Democracy (2000.) Optional: if you wish to learn more about US, Britain, Northern Ireland, Germany and Russia, it may be helpful to supplement the CPT chapters by reading Valelly, American Politics: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford 2013;) Budge, et al., The New British Politics on Britain; McKittrick and McVea, Making Sense of the Troubles on Northern Ireland; David Conradt, The German Polity; M. Steven Fish, Democracy Derailed in Russia. All of the books are on Reserve in Rush Rhees Library. The electronic book by Dalton, Politics in Germany on line http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~rdalton/Pgermany.htm is also recommended.
PSC101 SYLLABUS - Spring 2016
Week Lecture Themes Assigned Reading
Jan. 13 Democratic Systems Syllabus; CPT Ch.1, all;
Today (CPT, Ch.2, skim;)
Jan. 15 Comparing Democracies CPT,96-106; Powell,“Elections.”
Jan. 18 NO CLASS: MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
Jan. 20 U.S.A. in Comparative CPT Ch 3:39-42; Ch. 19: Perspective:Const & Culture Kousser,US,esp.687-699,719-723
Jan. 22 Section meetings begin. Discuss: why gov?, concepts,
citizen control, US democracy.
Jan. 25 USA in Comparative CPT Ch. 19: Kousser,US esp 704-719
Perspective: Parties, Polarization & Policy
Jan 27 The European Union Blackboard: Sbragia, Politics EU
Jan. 29 Discuss: Inclusive Constitutions; US, European Union
Feb. 1 Britain as Majorit- CPT, Ch. 8: Rose, “Britain,” esp. arian Democracy 159-170, 183-185.(Ch.6, 96-106)
Feb. 3 British Political CPT, Ch. 8, esp. 149-159,
Culture 170-174.(Reread Ch.3)
Feb. 5 Discuss: British political system (Compare to US)
Feb. 8 Britain: Party CPT, Ch. 8, "Britain,"
Competition esp.152-156,179-183.
Feb. 10 Britain: Issues, CPT, Ch. 5, 78-88.
Voters, 1983, 1997, 2010, 2015 elections
Feb. 12 Discuss: British party competition; interest aggregation
& competitive parties
Feb. 15 Britain: Consensual Style CPT, Ch. 8, "Britain,"
-Majoritarian System esp.174-178,183-191.
Feb. 17 Britain & US: Elections, CPT, Ch. 4, 60-70; Ch. 7, Citizens & Policy 122-140.
Feb. 19 Discuss: Interest groups; policymaking and citizen
control–-US and Britain
Feb. 22 Majoritarian Failure: http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/
Tragedy in Northern Ireland (CAIN project), 1st 3
Feb. 24 NI: Search for Accommodation background essays
Feb. 26 Discuss: Northern Ireland (Darby, Darby, Fitzduff)
PSC101 SYLLABUS - Spring 2016
Date Lecture Themes Assigned Reading
Feb. 29 Review for midterm exam No Additional Reading
Mar. 2 MIDTERM EXAM Exam covers all lectures
Mar. 4 NO CLASS TODAY and required reading.
SPRING BREAK MARCH 7-11 NO CLASSES
Mar. 14 Russia: Transition from CPT, Ch. 12: Remington,
Dictatorship to … Democracy? "Russia" 337-344.
Mar. 16 Russia: Constitutional CPT, Ch. 12:344-354,378-379.
Arrangements (Also, Ch. 2, 33-36).
Mar. 18 Discuss: Russian "transition" & current constitution
Mar. 21 Russian Political Culture CPT, Ch.12, Russia,354-361.
Mar. 23 Russia: Parties, Elections CPT, Ch. 12, 366-372;also
Website www.freedomhouse.org Freedom in the World: Russia
Mar. 25 Discuss: Russian culture, party competition, elections
Mar. 28 Russia: Presidential CPT, Ch.12, 344-354, 361-366,
Domination of Policy-making 372-380; also 118-119.
Mar. 30 Russia: Elections and Limits Schliefer “Normal Country?”
of Citizen Control Foreign Affairs M-Apr 2004
Apr. 1 Discuss: Russian Democracy Optional Quiz on Russia
Apr. 4 Germany: Development CPT, Ch. 10, Dalton:
of a Democratic Culture "Germany," 245-254,260-268.
Apr. 6 Germany: Constitutional CPT, Ch. 10, 255-260, 280-284;
Arrangements CPT, Ch. 6:109-116 (& 96-106)
Apr. 8 Discuss: German history, culture, constitution
Apr. 11 Germany: Competition & Coalition Reread CPT: Ch 5,78-88.
Blackboard: Taylor, Different Democracy 242-244
Apr. 13 Germany: Issues and Voters, CPT, Ch. 10: "Germany"
272-280, 245-246.Fass, Germany 2009, WEP 2010.
Apr. 15 Discuss: German party system, elections, government
Apr. 18 Germany: Consensual CPT, Ch. 10, 268-272,280-290; Style, Mixed System Reread CPT, Ch. 4, 60-70.
Apr. 20 Germany: Elections and Citizen Control
Apr. 22 Discuss: German Democracy Optional Quiz on Germany
Apr. 25 Elections & Citizen Control Powell, “Elections.”
Apr. 27 Discuss: Focus Points. CPT ch. 7 Optional paper due.
The examination on May 4 at 1230 covers all lectures and readings.